Vehicle jack



E. D. SWISHE R Sept. 5, 1950 VEHICLE JACK Filed April 1-1, 1946 [/Vl E/V 70/2 EARL D SW/SHER B) Z Patented Sept. 5, .1950

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to vehicle jacks and in particular to a combination bumper and axle jack for an automobile. V

Bumper jacks now in common use, generally engage only the bumper so that when an automobile is lifted, the body spring is first extended before a wheel is raised from the ground; As a result the automobile body is lifted to an appreciable height, and since its raised end is carried on only a single upright support of the jack care must be exercised in the raising of the automobile, and in working on the automobile to avoid having the automobile fall from the jack.

The bumper jack has generally superseded in use the so-called axle jack by virtue of the fact that late model automobiles have a lower ground clearance than earlier model automobiles. Although axle jacks, because of their direct action on a wheel axle, eliminate an extension of the body spring before a desired wheel is elevated, their use on later model automobiles is generally inconvenient because of the necessity of the operator having to get in a substantially crawling position to spot the jack under the axle. However, although the bumper jack has done away with the inconvenience of such spotting procedure, and is operated while the operator is in a substantially standing position, bumper jacks thus far used have not overcome the objection to extending the body spring, and in turn raising an end of the automobile to a precarious angle, before the wheel at the lifted automobile end is in a ground clearance relation with the ground.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide an improved automobile jack.

A further object of this invention is to provide a jack which acts concurrently on a wheel axle and on an adjacent bumper to elevate a wheel of an automobile, so as to reduce the extension of the body spring during a wheel lifting operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bumper operated jack which is adapted to lift on both the bumper and the wheel axle to elevate a wheel without raising the automobile body to an undesirably high position.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a bumper operated jack which is of a simple and compact construction, adapted to efficiently lift on both a bumper and an adjacent wheel axle to raise a wheel above the ground without tilting the automobile body at a steep angle, and capable of being conveniently operated from a position adjacent to th bumper and while the operator is in a substantially standing position.

A feature of this invention is found in the pro vision of an automobile jack in which a substantially horizontal lever member, pivotally supported on an upright stand and of a length substantially equal to the distance between a bumper and an adjacent axle, has one end en gageable with th under side of the axle and a screw at its other end provided with a nut member which is engageable with the under side of the bumper, so that on rotation of the screw a lifting force is applied through the lever on both the bumper and the axle.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevational view of the rear portion of an automobile, with a rear wheel and a part of the rear axle broken away, and showing the jack of this invention in assembly relation therewith;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the jack in a folded or storage position;

Fig. 3 is a plan top view of the jack;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken on the lin 44 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a bumper engaging member, which forms part of the jack of this invention, shown in assembly relation with the automobile bumper;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the jack supporting stand; and

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1---'! in Fig. 1;

With reference to the drawings the jack of this invention is illustrated in Fig. l, as applied to the rear end of an automobile having a body l9, supported through usual semi-elliptical body springs H, on a rear wheel axle I2 for carrying wheels 3. The body Hi is equipped with a usual rear bumper it. Although only the rear end portion of an automobile is shown in Fig. 1, it is to be understood that the jack of this invention is adapted to be used in a similar manner on the front axle of the automobile.

The jack (Figs. 1 and 2) includes a stand I6, a lever arm I? and an operating jack screw I 8. The stand 16 (Fig. 3) has a base l9, adapted to rest on the ground surface, and an upright support 2!, of a flat bar material, formed with a series of longitudinally spaced holes 22.

The lever arm ll (Figs. 2, 3 and 7) is of a substantially U-shape in cross section with the legs 23'thereof being formed with oppositely arranged longitudinally spaced openings 24 of a size corresponding substantially to the size of the openings 22 in the upright support 2| of the stand I6. The base ,portion 20, of the lever arm I1, is provided with a series of longitudinally spaced slots 26 corresponding to the pairs of oppositely arranged openings 24 in the legs 23. Each slot 26 is of a size to loosely receive the upright support 2| for a purpose which will appear later.

In the assembly of the jack the upright support 2| is extended through one of the slots 26 and a pin 21, which is secured through a chain or the like 28 to the stand I6, is inserted through a pair of the openings 24 and an aligned opening 22 in the upright support 2| to pivotally support the lever arm I! on the stand l6 for pivotal up and down movement.

The leg members 23, at the lever end 29 are flared outwardly away from each other (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) to loosely receive therebetween a bearing block 3|. The bearing block 3| is pivotally supported on a shaft or bolt 32 carried in the flared leg extensions 25 so that the block 3| is pivotally movable in a plane extended longitudinally of the lever arm H. The base 20, of the lever arm terminates at the junction 32 of the legs 23 and the flared extensions 25, to provide for a free pivotal movement of the bearing block between the leg extensions 25.

The lower end of the screw l8 (Fig. 4) is provided with a shaft 33 which is rotatable within a central bore 34 formed in the top side of the bearing block 3|. The screw I8 is retained against axial movement outwardly from the bearing block 3| by a set screw 36 threaded in the block member 3|, and having its inner end receivable within an annular groove 35 formed in the shaft 33.

Threadable on the screw I8 is a nut 3'! (Figs. 1, 2 and having a lateral projection 33 adapted to engage the underside of the automobile bumper l4. Upright pins 39 on the nut projection 38 are arranged in a spaced relation to receive the bumper 4 therebetween, whereby the bumper is positively held against slipping or .falling off of the nut 31., and the nut is held against 7 rotation, during the operation of the jack.

The lever arm I] at its end 4| '(Figs. 1, 2 and 3) carries a pivoted extension 42, which is pivoted at one end on a pin '43, carried in the legs 23 of the lever arm IT, for pivotal movement in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, to a position within the lever arm l1 and between the legs 23 thereof, and in an opposite direction to a position extended outwardly in longitudinal alignment with the lever arm ll. In its extended position, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2, the lower edge 44, of the extension 42 is engageable with the top side of the base 20 of the lever arm 11.

In the operation of the jack assume that the rear wheel l3 illustrated in Fig. 1 is to be elevated. The extension 42 is moved to its full line position, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the lever arm IT is of a length substantially equal to the distance between the rearbumper l4 and the adjacent rear axle l2. The upright support 2| is then inserted through one of the slots 26 in the base 29, such that the portion of the lever arm between the stand l6 and the rear axle I2 is of a length substantially equal to or less than the length of that portion of the lever arm ll between the stand l6 and the screw 18.

This arrangement of the upright support at a substantially center position on the lever arm ll, or between such center position'and the axle is for the purpose of obtaining an increased leverage effect for the force applied on the lever arm by the screw l8 as will appear later.

The support 2| is extended through such slot 26 until the lever arm l, in its substantially horizontal position as illustrated in Fig. 1, has its top edge below the bottom side of the rear axle l2, when the stand is supported on the ground. The pin 2! is then inserted through a hole 22, in the upright 6, which is in alignment with the openings 24 at the selected slot 26.

With the lever arm I! and the stand I6 thus relatively assembled, the nut 3'! is threaded downwardly on the screw I8 to a position such that the bumper I4 is positionable between the upright pins 39 on the nut projection 38. With the bumper |4 supported on the nut 31, and with the lever arm extension 42 engageable with the under side of the axle l2 the screw I8 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, so as to be axially movable relative to the nut 31 which is retained against rotation by the engagement of the pins 39 with the bumper l4. Rotation of the screw I8 is accomplished by a usual type wrench 42 adapted for engagement with a nut portion 43 at the top of the screw |8.'

0n rotation of the screw IS a force is applied downwardly on the end 29 of the lever arm I! concurrently with the upward application of forces on the bumper l4 and on the axle l2. As a result of this application of lifting forces, the car body is is lifted directly at the bumper l4, while the axle I2 is lifted directly at the lever extension #12, so that both the automobile wheel l3 and the body Ill are raised with a minimum of extension of the body spring II. In other words, the axle l2 and the body ill are concurrently raised so that the spring I l is retained in a substantially normal relation relative to the axle l2 and the body Ill.

Since the screw I8 is in an upright position rearwardly of the bumper l4 its rotation is accomplished while the operator is in a substantially standing position. As a result the jack is conveniently operated while eliminating a lifting of the body H] to an unnecessarily high elevation in order to raise the wheel IS in a clearance relation with the ground. To lower the wheel 13 to the ground, the screw I8 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, until the nut 37 is out of an engaging position with the bumper l4.

In applying the jack of this invention to a front wheel axle the extension 42 is initially moved to its dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, since the distance between the front wheel axle and its adjacent bumper is normally less, on most automobiles, than the distance between the rear bumper and its adjacent rear axle. With the extension 42 in its dotted line position, the jack is set up for operation relative to the front axle in all ways similar to its operation relative to the .rear axle 12 as described in connection with Fig. 1.

From a consideration of the above description it is seen that the invention provides a combination bumper and axle jack which is comprised of a minimum number of parts capable of being assembled together to accommodate automobiles, having varying distances between a bumper and an adjacent axle. When the jack is not in use, the screw l8 and the stand l6 are movable to positions adjacent to the lever arm IT, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the complete jack occupies a relatively small amount of space for storage.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A jack for an automobile having a wheel axle and a bumper adjacent to said axle, said jack comprising an upright support adapted to rest on a ground surface, a lever member pivotally supported intermediate its ends on said upright support for up and down pivotal movement, a transverse pivot adjacent one end of said lever, supporting means pivoted on said transverse pivot, a jack screw having its lower end rotatable in said supporting means, and a nut member threadable on said screw having a portion engageable with the under side of said bumper, with the opposite end of said lever member being adapted to engage the under side of said wheel axle.

2. A jack for an automobile having a wheel axle and a bumper, comprising an upright support adapted to rest on a ground surface, a lever 25 arm of a substantially U-shape in cross section having a series of longitudinally spaced openings in the base thereof, with each of said openings being adapted to receive said upright support therein, and the leg members of said lever arm having a series of oppositely arranged openings corresponding to said longitudinally spaced openings, said upright support having a series of longitudinally spaced openings therein, a pivot member receivable through an opening in said upright support and opposite openings in said leg members to pivotally support said lever arm intermediate its ends for up and down pivotal movement, a jack screw supported adjacent one end of said lever arm for rotational movement, and for pivotal movement longitudinally of said lever arm, and a bumper engaging member threadable on said screw, with the other end of said lever arm being engageable with said wheel axle.

EARL D. SWISHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 778,179 Edeline Dec. 20, 1904 1,254,797 Gries Jan. 29, 1918 1,553,074 Engel Sept. 8, 1925 

